We're really polarized. It isn't the first time, and may not even be the worst it's been.

Why?

There are a lot of reasons.

We've perverted the SCOTUS, turning them into omnipotent legislative body that invents controversial laws via Constitutional interpretation. Not only is this contrary to our Constitution, it lets politicians avoid taking political risks (no politician had to introduce an abortion bill). This results in unchangable laws that may not pass the public opinion test being imposed by unelected political appointees without accountability. That pisses people off. Note that a started this (FDR), but both parties have used it ( used it to push "Brown vs Bd of Ed" which gave us EEO, etc...).

We have a "leader class" of social elite career politicians who are primarily concerned with fundraising for their next election (remember, they get to keep a good chunk of that $ when they're done). These careerists perpetuate polarization because it's easier to whip up a partisan frenzy than formulate actual positions and answer honest questions. The media is complicit in this because it makes their job easy - a third party would require actual reporting instead of the "good guy/bad guy" bullshit that masquerades as reporting today.

The electorate is a bunch of lazy idiots that are more concerned with celebrity than substance. One group are dependent upon entitlement programs and vote however they think will give them more free stuff on someone else's dime. Another group ignores everything except how a candidate feels about abortion - like there will ever be a vote on it (it's already a done deal via the SCOTUS, remember?).

We're really polarized. It isn't the first time, and may not even be the worst it's been.

Why?

There are a lot of reasons.

We've perverted the SCOTUS, turning them into omnipotent legislative body that invents controversial laws via Constitutional interpretation. Not only is this contrary to our Constitution, it lets politicians avoid taking political risks (no politician had to introduce an abortion bill). This results in unchangable laws that may not pass the public opinion test being imposed by unelected political appointees without accountability. That pisses people off. Note that a started this (FDR), but both parties have used it ( used it to push "Brown vs Bd of Ed" which gave us EEO, etc...).

We have a "leader class" of social elite career politicians who are primarily concerned with fundraising for their next election (remember, they get to keep a good chunk of that $ when they're done). These careerists perpetuate polarization because it's easier to whip up a partisan frenzy than formulate actual positions and answer honest questions. The media is complicit in this because it makes their job easy - a third party would require actual reporting instead of the "good guy/bad guy" bullshit that masquerades as reporting today.

The electorate is a bunch of lazy idiots that are more concerned with celebrity than substance. One group are dependent upon entitlement programs and vote however they think will give them more free stuff on someone else's dime. Another group ignores everything except how a candidate feels about abortion - like there will ever be a vote on it (it's already a done deal via the SCOTUS, remember?).

Well for one creating jobs so people can get back to making a living. Getting people back in houses instead of living on the streets, feeding the starving people especially children. I know some of these people made their own bed so they should lie in it but a lot of people just couldn't keep their homes due to companies outsourcing and firing all the workers. True health care reform not the debacle we have now. We need to stop foreign aid and concentrate on our own country, bring our troops back home make sure they have support and jobs to come home to. Make sure career politicians are a thing of the past as it was intended originally , serve then go back to your old job. That would help alleviate serving for your own greed. Politicians get in politics because it's an easy way to get rich and powerful. We need to abolish both parties and start fresh using the constitution. The people got lazy and let the politicians take over. The only interest they truly look to serve is their own. They use gun control, gay rights, immigration issues, and racism to keep us from concentrating on the true issues that need to be solved. They keep stoking the fires with these controversial issues so we will remain divided.